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GEMBOREE 2017

INFORMATION E-NEWSLETTER December 2016 – Edition 9 Tony Luchetti Showground, Lithgow – Easter – 14th – 17th April, 2017

FROM THE E-NEWSLETTER EDITOR Colin is looking forward to meeting you next Easter in Lithgow, with just four months to go till the GEMBOREE 2017 takes place.

Remember that you need to think about your accommodation and if you are staying off-site. Accommodation will be at a premium now as we get closer. You also need to get your registrations in along with any tailgating applications, etc., A.S.A.P.

There is plenty to do and see around Lithgow, including horse riding (seen below) negotiating the Cox’s River.

As this is our Christmas e-newsletter I would like to take the opportunity to wish one and all a very happy, enjoyable and relaxing Christmas and my best wishes for the New Year and 2017. Welcome again to our e- newsletter for December and especially to the influx of collectors who have just requested this newsletter.

Colin Wright, our GEMBOREE 2017 Co-Ordinator, would also like to extend to every one of you a very If you need details and contacts for the various local Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year. This is a attractions or any accommodation needs in and around joyous season to take a step back from our busy lives Lithgow you need to contact the illustrious staff at the and enjoy time with our loved ones. Best wishes to you Lithgow Visitor Information Centre, 1137 Great and yours. Western Hwy, Lithgow. NSW 2790 or telephone 2 1300760276 or email [email protected] or was given a reprieve when it was discovered that it www.tourism.lithgow.com gave tensile strength to steel, increased hardness and added to elasticity so the price rose making it more valuable to mine. It has however, caused many problems in an effort to process it for sale as there is often differing methods needed which is determined by the grade of the molybdenite. It was also found that it was easier to process, the higher grade ore, which also took far less time. They soon learnt that poorer quality ore had to be processed in smaller batches, hence

commercial companies now only work the richer It will be great to meet you people in person and I hope deposits. you all make the effort in a few months’ time to visit Up to some 100 years ago it was initially broken up by Lithgow in the Central Tablelands of New South the miners themselves but then machines began to be Wales and its scenic environment. developed. Once the initial break-up took place it was Alan McRae, FAIHA – GEMBOREE 2017 tipped into a dry ball-mill in an attempt to reduce the e-newsletter Editor and Publicity Officer size to what looks like the size of pollard that one

oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo feeds to the chooks. The powder was then passed through a series of screens so that if any bits are still MOLYBDENUM too large they are returned to the ball-mill. These days The specimen (below) shows a hexagonal it is treated by several floatation processes and in one molybdenum crystal which has a silvery-looking finish case mixed with kerosene and later floated on water and breaks into flakes if not handled carefully, so it is with the concentrate separated by a shaking method. It considered quite soft. This metal mineral occurs in is usually found with bismuth and this is an unwanted many places around the world, but in many cases in mineral for steel-making so basically it has to be got just small quantities that make it uneconomical to treat rid of as it needs to be less than .5% of the weight. with large scale treatment plants.

Many a collector will have a piece of molybdenite from Kingsgate (above) which at its peak saw the mines fully worked from 1905 until after World War One and into the very early 1920s. It was expected to attract mining and miners again during World War Two but that did not eventuate. There were still plenty of specimens to be picked up in the 1960’s when I was

last there, along with some quite large quartz crystals. It is to be found in a few localities around Australia. In Evidence of sizeable crystals could be seen around particular in the New England area in northern New with most obviously smashed during earlier mining South Wales where I used to live before coming to operations to extract the molybdenite.

Bathurst. It’s found in places such as Kingsgate, The field contains copious amounts of quartz pipes, Bolivia and Deepwater. It is also located at Everton believed to be around seventy, which were mined for (close to Beechworth in Victoria) and in Queensland in both bismuth and molybdenum at Kingsgate giving it Chillagoe mineral fields some 200km west of Cairns. the honour of the biggest molybdenum producer in Molybdenite has also been mined around the Moonta . and Yelta areas in South Australia and in the Northern Territory at Yenberrie. Other countries mine deposits of this mineral and these are primarily Canada, Norway and England. Originally considered not very important, the mineral 3 “ESKBANK” & THOMAS BROWN verandah all around, finely dressed sandstone blocks, bay windows, graceful chimneys. If you visit the old The name ‘Eskbank’ home next year it’s quickly pointed out that the house is a common word in has a symmetrical internal structure. Stables and a Lithgow. It is a cottage for the workmen were also added. The name symbol of industrial came about after the river Esk in Scotland. industry of the town and later the city. Eskbank Estate, for some ninety years, sustained the industrialists and their workforce who transformed Lithgow from being a serene valley into a hive of industry with coal mines, iron and copper foundries Thomas and Mary had a circular driveway out the and steel mills. front and a formal garden and trees set out. Once It began with Thomas (above) climbing roses adorned the verandahs. A hexagon and Mary Brown after the pavilion was also built at the side and a vegetable couple married in June 1838 in garden was quickly established along with a selection Dumfries, Scotland. Thomas of fruit trees.

Brown had been born in 1811 By 1847 Thomas had been appointed as a at Craighead, near Inverness, Commissioner of Crown Lands and in 1849 Charles in the north of Scotland. Mary Augustus Fitzroy, Captain General and Governor in was born in 1804 in Dumfries Chief of New South Wales, Victoria and Van which was a coal-mining Diemen’s Land engaged Thomas as a Bench region adjacent to the Magistrate. By 1855 he had become a Police English border. Not long Magistrate at Hartley Courthouse. after, they set sail for Having no interest in pastoralism arriving in December 1838, and heading for Bathurst, Thomas proceeded with more where Mary’s brothers lived. industrial pursuits and created The couple settled at Bowenfells (later spelt the Eskbank Colliery. He was Bowenfels) where they rented Andrew Brown’s quite aware that it was in an Cooerwull for a period of two years. Obviously seeing isolated area so along with other potential in the area they were able to purchase one of fellow Scotsmen and the first blocks of land to be offered in the Lithgow Presbyterians lobbied the New Valley in 1840. His 200 acres, adjoining Cooerwull, South Wales Government to had coal on it which he would later mine. bring about a rail line through the Lithgow Valley. The Great ‘Eskbank House’ was built in 1842 by a local Western Railway extension would also make other Scottish stonemason Alexander Binning, also a projects possible. Presbyterian. He used the local sandstone that he quarried at Bowenfels and Farmers’ Creek before Thomas must have been very pleased when he learnt that the Government had begun to investigate possible having it transported by bullock dray to the house site. routes for the Great Western Railway in 1858. The From Inverness, Binning had been brought out by ship Government Surveyor was Edwin Barton and he by Presbyterian Minister Reverend John Dunmore favoured a zig zag configuration over the Blue Lang to assist in the building of a college for him. Mountains and into Lithgow. Thomas was aware that Binning at one time, in 1835, was the Inspector of coal would be needed so the year before the railway Bridges for the New South Wales Road Department at arrived he had a test coal tunnel cut in at nearby Bathurst. Farmers Creek with pleasing results. He opened his Thomas almost immediately purchased another 630 Eskbank Colliery in time for steam engines to arrive in acres. His land now extended from Farmer’s Creek up Lithgow in 1869. The Colliery over the following three into Oakey Park and then across the floor of the decades was the Western Coalfields most valuable Lithgow Valley over to Mort Street. mine.

Mary’s sister Wilhelmina Maxwell also lived at He paid for a personal rail siding behind Eskbank ‘Eskbank House’ which features a hipped roof, a House, calling it Brown’s Siding. In 1882 Eskbank 4 Station was constructed, becoming the main station for today, though being of high density it is often found in Lithgow till after World War One. river stones and sands in gravelly river areas where we collectors and prospectors can simply pick them out by Thomas Brown became the Member for Hartley from hand. 1872 until he was expelled in 1876 after it was found he had manipulated documents hiding his interest in The ruby has the hardness second only to the diamond, the Eskbank Colliery’s tenders to supply coal to the thus on the Mohs’ scale it has a hardness of 9. When New South Wales Government Railways. The working with rubies one needs to be careful as they are Commission of Inquiry found he had purposely quite brittle having no cleavage. Ruby crystals can be engineered the tenders for the profitable contracts. This found in prismatic tabular, bipyramidal or conflict of interest had brought his parliamentary rhombohedral shapes along with granular or massive career to an end. habits.

Over the years Thomas had built Eskbank Railway Station, Eskbank School (Lithgow Public School) and St Mary’s Presbyterian Church, the latter to honour his wife. The land for the School of Arts was also given by Thomas. He also set aside some land which was subdivided to construct housing for his workers which would have been an unusual thing in those days.

Mary Brown died childless in 1878 and Thomas Brown left Lithgow the following year though it seems he visited occasionally. Eskbank Estate was sold to James Rutherford, of Cobb and Co fame, in 1881 with ‘Eskbank House’ renamed ‘The Grange’. As the Rutherfords didn’t need the house and had no interest in living in it, it was rented out. On brown’s death in

1889 several newspapers wrote about his life. Considered once the stone of nobility the ruby, the

Lithgow District Historical Society opened Eskbank very clear types that is, by some cultures who believed House as a house museum in 1966 with the gardens that the ruby was more prized than the diamond. later restored by the Lithgow City Council. It is well Rubies are often found with other gemstone material worth a visit when you come to the GEMBOREE such as topaz, zircons, garnets, tourmaline, moonstone, 2017, the 53rd National Gem & Mineral Show which spinel and beryl. is being held at the Tony Luchetti Showground in Rough rubies and other stone treasures have been Lithgow in New South Wales from Friday 14th to found in the graves of Norsemen, these adornments Monday 17th April, 2017. being considered as a prized possession, along with

oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo their swords and other weapons. In the ancient Indian

TABULAR RUBIES FROM INDIA Sanskrit language can be found where it is claimed that the ruby is the most precious of all the gemstones. The The three six sided hexagon-shaped purplish-reddish blistering and enchanting ruby was admired in many coloured natural tabular ruby crystals (pictured right) civilizations, some of who wore them as a talisman to where dug from underground ruby bearing deposits in protect them and bring fortune. India. The ruby was named from the Latin word ‘ruber’ or ‘rubeus’ after its colour red. Despite being In ancient times wearing a piece of ruby could known for thousands of years it was only around 1800 forewarn the wearer of looming danger. In some early that they were associated with corundum, as was the cultures they believed that rubies could even boil water! blue sapphire. Known generally for their rich carmine red colour some specimen’s colour can vary from a The Romans and Greeks saw some medicinal value in yellowish red, orangey red to pink or purplish colours. them as they were a possible antidote against The red colouration comes from minute trace amounts poisonous snakes’ venom. They also used rubies as a of chromium. stone for the aristocracy, including their wives. There

Within the deposits where these rubies are found the were some in Greek society who believed that if one colour varies as can be seen within these varying had a cube carved with their seal it would melt the specimens. These variations can show up in spots as sealing wax if placed on the wax. The Egyptians also well as stripes as seen above. With their greasy and admired the traded ruby for its beauty and was often dull-like appearance in natural light, parts of these given for love believing that it gave the owner or specimens give off a rich ruby red fluorescence under wearer protection as well as awarding great wealth and affluence other light sources. Gem quality rubies are rare, even 5 Kublai Khan, the Chinese Emperor, once proposed to I have taken a number of groups to visit the Small exchange an entire city for a substantial ruby. It has Arms Factory Museum in Lithgow and the most been said that in ancient Imperial China, bureaucrats common comment is that people just did not realise the wore badges to show rank. The top ranking variety of items this factory produced, and you bureaucrats wore red stones which included ruby and probably won’t either. red or pink tourmaline. It was also considered one of Originally almost all of our nation’s defence needs their spiritual stones signifying the soul’s beauty. were supplied by the United Kingdom. It became During the Middle Ages people wore rubies as an really apparent during the Boer War campaign in amulet to ward off the plague and evil spirits. Others South Africa that obtaining material from so far away believed that they protected one from being poisoned was impractical and was too slow leading to acute and kept the bearer healthy. supply problems should any future wars occur.

Then there were the After Federation, the Commonwealth undertook a various medicinal stocktake of our defence capabilities of both personnel, properties that over time arms, supplies and material assets. Obviously Joseph some believed in. Cook, a former Lithgow coal miner and the Federal Medicinally, powdered Minister of Defence, would have had an input into ruby was mixed with water where a possible Small Arms Factory could be located. and used to treat eye Prior to 1900 practically all defence equipment had disabilities. I can assure been supplied to Australia by the United Kingdom. you it would have been Finally the Commonwealth Government in 1908 very painful. Others thought that ground-up rubies announced their plans to construct the Small Arms taken internally would ‘restore the body’. Factory in Lithgow. Obviously it had been pointed out One can find several references in the bible to rubies, that Lithgow was ideally located to steel and coal though they called it ‘carbuncle’ in those days. A ruby supplies, rail transport and electricity. As well, the was selected by God as one of the Twelve Stones of township was some 90 miles from the coast. the Breastplate mentioned in the New Testament. A number of companies were invited to tender to Various gemstones are also mentioned in Exodus, supply a Lee-Enfield rifle manufacturing plant capable Ezekiel and Isaiah. Talking of religious associations of supplying 250 rifles each week. Australian numerous blood-red rubies have been used to set into Government officials approached companies in the golden rings of cardinals and bishops. The British Europe, United Kingdom and the United States of Royals have over time used rubies to ornament various America. coronation rings as well as crowns. Controversially the Pratt & Whitney Corporation of Whilst the origins of wedding anniversary gifts goes America was awarded the contract to supply the back to the Holy Roman Empire we today use the ruby comprehensive plant, machine-tools, jigs, fixtures and as a gift for one’s 15th or 40th Anniversary present, gauges and the first Lithgow manager. Six men were the Romans just gave a silver wreath for the 25th sent to America to their works to train as foremen. The anniversary and a gold wreath on their 50th semi-skilled workforce would be recruited locally. In Anniversary. The wreath was placed on their wives’ December 1909 Mr F.R. Ratcliffe of Pratt and Whitney head. arrived to help with the planning of the factory. Rubies are commonly mined in such countries as Building commenced in 1909, then on 10th January, Thailand, Kenya, Malawi, Brazil, America, Tanzania, 1910, the site of the factory was inspected by Lord Vietnam, Cambodia, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Kitchener on his way to Bathurst to open the Boer War Myanmar (Burma) as well as in Queensland and here Memorial there. in New South Wales. The National Advocate in Bathurst reported the At one time there were ‘Siberian rubies’ on the market official opening proceedings on Saturday 8th June, but they turned out to be tourmaline. These days with 1912. They associated Lithgow as the “Birmingham of the technology available there are plenty of gemstone Australia” – Governor General opens Lithgow Small ruby fakes about! Many synthetic rubies are made in Arms Factory. It went on “Yesterday was a proud day commercial quantities to be used in decorations for for Lithgow but the town is so used to stirring events cheap jewellery and watches. One would assume that that it took it quietly. Possibly the damp, wintry all stones on the market today have had some kind of weather contributed to this. It was also a memorable heat treatment as it has been the practice for decades. day for Australia, for the first Small Arms Factory in oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo the Commonwealth - a collection of buildings where GOVERNMENT SMALL ARMS FACTORY hundreds of machines are now busy cutting rifle MUSEUM - LITHGOW stocks, straightening barrels, perfecting aperture sights, 6 manufacturing sword bayonets and generally turning with one day off, many travelling home to Bathurst out lethal weapons was yesterday morning opened by and Kelso on the steam train for their rest day. Four the Governor-General, Lord Denman. The birth of the members (below) were from Bathurst with Arthur idea was, seventeen years ago, in the brain of Mr. J. Saunders of Kelso, 3rd from the left. Ryan, one of Lithgow’s best known townsmen. Its maturity was yesterday. On Friday night a horde of military officers, politicians and pressmen swooped down upon the town in anticipation of the event, but the morning broke rainy and raw, the mountains being hidden by the rain, and the enthusiasm of the inhabitants merely extended to a cadet guard of honour, the showing of some flags, and a small gathering at the station to see the Governor-General arrive.

His Excellency, who was accompanied by Captain Nutting, A.D.C, and Senator Pearce, Minister for Defence, was welcomed by the Mayor (Alderman Pillans), and the aldermen of Lithgow. Lord Denman motored to the factory and, without much ceremony, handled a lever, switched on the current, and declared the factory opened. At noon His Excellency inspected the factory which can turn out 50 magazine rifles and bayonets a day. He addressed the employees, expressing the hope that Lithgow would become the More equipment arrived in May 1916, with the first Birmingham of Australia. He trusted that any consignment of the rifle-making machinery ordered economic disturbance in their industrial life would be from the Platt and Whitney Company by the Federal settled by conciliation and voluntary agreement. Government. The machinery had been long overdue Mr. Joseph Cook said that the idea of a Small Arms owing the difficulty in securing freight space, whilst Factory originated with Mr. Ryan, of Lithgow. Messrs. doubtless the fact that the American factory was Pratt and Whitney, an American firm, for whom working to full capacity on other orders has had Messrs. Noyes Bros, Ltd., Sydney, are the Australian something to do with the delay. Work was progressing agents, supplied all the rifle-making machinery for the steadily and satisfactorily at the factory, and the factory. The electric generators, switchboard and production of rifles is increasing.” electric motors were manufactured by the British Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, Limited; of Manchester and were supplied by Noyes Bros., as sub-contractors to the Government Dockyard.”

(Above) the Bathurst contingent camped near the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow.

After the declaration of World War One it saw With Mr. A. C. Wright as the first manager of the new escalating demands on the factory with production factory it began manufacturing in 1912 – 13. The new doubling and then later re-doubling. The production of factory (above) embraced the most modern precision Lee-Enfield .303 rifles increased during this time from engineering practices that became the benchmark for 15,000 per year to 80,000 per year. By the end of the all engineering establishments throughout Australia. Second World War the Small Arms Factory had made 640,000 .303 rifles. With World War One declared the military authorities had local militia and cadets supply the security to With World War One over production slowed so the guard the Small Arms Factory in Lithgow. The men factory diversified to make other items such as stream- and boys camped in bell-type tents, a week at a time lined wires, metal aircraft engine parts and the Vickers 7 Machine gun. By 1931, in the great Depression, half of Despite all its massive armour plates along the ridge of the factory’s output production was linked to sound its back and down its tail, as well as a savagely projection and sheep shearing machinery. As the armoured tail, its design left its side areas very open to Second World War loomed they made golf clubs and attack. The tail worked like a club with its sharp handcuffs as well as rifles and machine guns at the appendages which could number from two to eight. factory. With war declared again the factory made Palaeontologists now feel that the back plates may not rifles and Bren Machine Gun. even have been used for attack or defence necessarily A large forge and die sinking shop was constructed, but for body temperature adjustments by allowing reputedly the largest in the southern hemisphere and blood to be pumped through them to permit it to heat new laboratories, boiler rooms and heat equipment up more quickly or, by the same system, cool the beast were also introduced. The workforce at this time rose down. The head was small with no forehead, just a flat to 12,000 with the inclusion of increased shift work. area. Its mouth housed a large number of little teeth This included 6,000 people in Lithgow as well as an with some fossil specimens being found with up to 100 additional 6,000 in feeder factories established at teeth in place. Orange, Bathurst, Young, Forbes, Wellington, Cowra, Dubbo, Parkes, Portland and Mudgee to assist the Lithgow operations.

The Small Arms Factory was one of the major employers in Lithgow for some time and as a result of the rising work force during World War II a suburb known as Littleton was established with ‘Duration Cottages’ to house both workers and their families. An additional railway station at Cooerwull was also established to facilitate commuter travel from the Blue Mountains’ towns.

After the war, tools, pencil sharpeners, sporting rifles and telephone parts were produced. Operations at the Small Arms Factory have been significantly scaled down due to increasing government cutbacks.

The Small Arms Factory Museum was officially opened in 1996 to celebrate the history of the factory as well as the people that worked there over its many years of operation. The Museum now has the largest firearms collection on public display in the southern hemisphere and is considered by many experts to be amongst the finest and most comprehensive in the world. It is l ocated at 69 Methven St, Lithgow, in the Its short forelegs had three toes, as can be seen in the old administration building. drawing (above), it allowed the head to be closer to the

Some information thanks to the Small Arms Factory ground for grazing. It would not have been able to go Museum Inc. too deep into the water in search of reeds and other water vegetation, though it may have preferred thicker oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo woodland so that largest predators would be more STEGOSAURUS unlikely to enter. The back legs are longer and larger It seems that some dinosaurs are more interesting to and they too had three toes. children than others and this dinosaur is one of those . The Stegosaurus had a large body and quite a small Alberta in Canada has been one country to find some head, hence it has not been called ‘too smart’ amongst fine Stegosaurus fossils, some of theirs being from the Cretaceous period. Several have been found with dinosaurs. It is one dinosaur of two groups that developed armour. Its body was covered with masses mended broken bones due to some misfortune, maybe a fight with an Allosaurus. of small bony plates. It was a land dweller and was a slow and sluggish beast that wandered through The Pteranodons flying and sitting in the background swampy areas looking for food. had a wingspan of over 20 feet. They are thought to

They are from the late Jurassic period where a full have weighed in at around 20 to 25 pounds. They had adult would grow to around 20 to 25 feet long and a large bony crest that could have been to about 12 feet high. They were solid, maybe 8 to 10 counterbalance its long toothless beak. They had an tons, so that one wouldn’t fit in your one ton ute. extending pouch in which they carried the fish and other aquatic life that they swooped up. 8 STEAM LORRIE WORKHORSE witnessed around Lithgow and Bathurst and districts by our grandparents and great grandparents. The This old steam-driven lorry (below) was owned by the Bathurst & Western Transport Company was just one Bathurst & Western Transport Company and was of at least five steam haulage businesses that loaded with bags of coke from Lithgow. The coke was established themselves in Bathurst. All had replaced bound for the Bathurst Municipal Council Gas Works their draught horses. Before these steam-driven lorries which was located in Russell Street beside the railway entered the scene the first form of steam powered underpass where the site still exhibits the old buildings freight and cargo carrier was a combination of a trailer and some of the massive equipment. The Bathurst & and steam traction engine. Western Transport Company also carried coke and coal to local blacksmiths as well as to householders to These steam-powered vehicles were usually used for use in their fireplaces, heaters and black steel stoves. transporting commercial freight. Whilst many were Other businesses and distributors were also supplied relatively slow some could get up to 60 miles per hour with coke to resell in smaller amounts. (almost 100 kilometres per hour) on an absolutely

good road though these would have been rare around The steam lorry was supplied to the Bathurst & Bathurst or elsewhere. Mostly they travelled up to 50 Western Transport Company by Garratts Limited, Sole kilometres per hour on a fair road. Agents in Sydney. It was brought to Bathurst from Sydney on the steam train. Garratts also provided Many vehicles weighed around and upwards of five maintenance and spare parts for this interesting form of tons, unladen weight, and were fitted with solid rubber early transport. Though this vehicle has a cab with tyres. Earlier models could have either steel or wooden doors around the front it must have been cold to drive wheels however all gave a hard ride. Before long the in winter even with the boiler beside the driver. Unlike wooden, steel and solid rubber wheels were later versions this lorry had no windscreen. This discontinued and modified with pneumatic tyres. Garratts’ design has the boiler and funnel across the Mocklers, a Bathurst general store, had a solid tyre front. lorry that they had converted over to the ‘pump-up Smoke could definitely be an issue with these steam pneumatic tyred wheels’. One has to wonder whether vehicles and the Bathurst City Council received a the flat heavy solid tyres would have been beneficial number of letters of complaint at their meetings when negotiating the unsealed roads and tracks around concerning some of the local businesses’ steam trucks. Bathurst’s countryside at the time. One was owned by Wright Heaton and drew several There were two types of these lorries, these being complaints. Another letter describes one offending known as an ‘undertype’ and ‘overtype’. The smoky lorry as a “road locomotive” with more than difference related to where the manufacturer one complaint concerning these steam lorries upsetting positioned the engine and makers tended to people’s horses and being ‘too noisy’. concentrate on one form or the other. These steam-powered road vehicles would have been 9

Buy a GEMBOREE Pyrite was once used in early wheellock firearms of 2017 Badge the 1500s and 1600s as the ignition source. A piece of pyrite was located in the cock up against a circular file to strike the sparks needed to ignite the gun and fire it. to remember your trip to Lithgow The most common of the sulphide minerals, the name pyrite is derived from a Greek word meaning ‘fire’. at Easter 2017 only $6 The Romans used the word ‘pyrite’ to any stones that each. could produce sparks. It is usually found in association with quartz veins, metamorphic and sedimentary rocks with other sulfides or oxides Remember that a special badge has been produced for (below). the GEMBOREE 2017, the 53rd National Gem & Mineral Show, which will take place next year over four days from Friday 14th to Monday 17th April, 2017, at Tony Luchetti Showground in Lithgow, New South Wales. Staged by the Gem & Lapidary Council of N.S.W. Inc. this enormous event is under the auspices of the Australian Federation of Lapidary & Allied Crafts Association Inc. Various gem and lapidary clubs from around New South Wales assist in organising and co-ordinating the various aspects of this mammoth event which will draw a large crowd of lapidaries and hobbyists, as well as the general public.

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IRON PYRITE

You wouldn’t be the first person to be fooled by this mineral and most collectors starting out will be Pyrite has long been used to produce iron sulphate. attracted to the bright and shiny pyrite mineral crystals One early method was to allow piles of pyrite to break on the dealer’s tables. Iron pyrite is an iron sulphide down in the weather. The acidic runoff water was and due to its metallic lustre and yellowy brass collected and boiled with iron to produce the iron appearance is often referred to as ‘fool’s gold’. To sulphate. Later methods just burnt the iron pyrites. make it more confusing iron pyrites was often found Today pyrites is used to make sulphur dioxide to use in with gold. the paper manufacturing industry.

Pyrites was once used in radio receivers and in the old crystal sets we once used as kids. It was later replaced by the vacuum tubes or valves. Lately it has been used in some solar panels.

(Above) Pyrite on Quartz – Muldura, Peru

As it can be also found in coal seams the early miners often called it ‘brass’ or ‘brazzle’. Collectors frequently prefer the crystallized specimens which occur in cubes, octahedrons and pyritohedrons or in some cases combinations of these forms. We know Pyrites can be found in remarkable glittering discs that iron pyrite can be a replacement mineral in fossils (above). As the ancient Chinese viewed the earth as a with some superb specimens found in Germany. They golden cube they collected this mineral as they felt look as though their edges and highlights have been their vision was emulated by the cubes of pyrites. They emphasised in this shiny material. also believed that Pyrite would guard against crocodile 10 attacks and they considered that pyrite crystals As with any village or towns Lithgow had their fair attracted money and good fortune. Other societies share of hotels and regular reports would appear in believed it was protection against infections as well as both the Lithgow Mercury as well as Sydney ensure good general health and used as a ‘healing newspapers. stone’, especially the pyrite ‘dollars’. One report in May 1879 made mention of hotels:- “All The American native Indians polished pyrites in the these places - the coal mine, copper works, brickyard, early times to make mirrors. In Queen Victoria’s time and public school, are situated in the higher part of the pyrite crystals were popular set in silver. township, in the Eskbank direction, and the population

oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo seems densest at this part. A handsome new hotel, the Cosmopolitan, has been put up here for the NEW KING GEORGE V STAMP ARRIVES accommodation of the public. It is handsomely AT LITHGOW furnished throughout, and is well adapted for families After Australia’s Federation in 1901 the nation was not from Sydney visiting the zigzags or any of the valley ready to immediately produce its own postage stamps scenery beyond the mountains. Mr. Howells, the and coinage. As it was, the various colonies hadn’t proprietor, who since my visit has met with a buggy given much thought to the changeover either so in the accident, has spent a large sum in making his place meantime the stamps of each individual colony were comfortable, and doubtless will attract a large custom used up. This red one penny King George V surface without injuring the older houses. The Royal is printed postage stamp was the first denomination to be situated at the opposite end of the township, near the issued in this series though the first design known as present Lithgow Railway Station. Mr. Grey enjoys a the ‘Map and kangaroo” had previously been issued on good reputation as a host and his house appears well 2nd January, 1913. adapted for the trade.”

The stamp die for this King’s head issue was cut by the Every year each publican had to appear in person to English firm Perkins Bacon and Co, of London. The apply for their ‘Publicans Licence’. “In June 1888 plates were made of steel on which two lots of 60 twenty publicans from Lithgow and surrounding stamp images were cut in. districts appeared before the Licensing Magistrates in Lithgow on Wednesday last to get a renewal of The Lithgow Mercury at licences. The applications in every case were granted the time noted: - “Mr. without any objection.” Wynne’s new steel engraved King’s head penny postage stamps (seen left) will be on sale in all the States on Monday, 24th November, 1913, including Lithgow. One million stamps were printed in Melbourne by the Federal note printer, Mr. Harrison, have been distributed amongst the States on a population basis. Mr. Wynne has instructed that no stamp dealer must sell in more than half-dozen lots so that professional philatelists will not be able to mop up the issue and sell it at fancy prices as curios.”

This red penny stamp has the unique honour of being printed from the original steel 1914 stamp dies until they were stopped in 1937.

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ICE IN LITHGOW HOTELS

With Australia’s hot and thirsty climate the need for cool alcoholic drinks and aerated cordials initially was given a real boost on the goldfields. Whilst ice making companies established themselves and sold blocks of ice to hotels, as well as the public to keep their food cooler, there was always a need for smaller units to The news that John Sands in Sydney was selling “the allow hoteliers to make their own ice. simplest and most effective ice-making machine”

11 which could produce ice in the hottest weather was just communication a good, reliable and regular mail too tempting for some publicans to forego. Hoteliers service was essential. Dr. Rygate wrote a letter from could look at the unit or obtain a prospectus if they the Bench at Hartley on 28th June, 1858, indicating made application to John Sands who were the sole that he had received three applications for the position agents for New South Wales and Queensland. The as Postmaster, these being Mr. David Reed, Mr. advertisement appeared in 1889 and two applications William Corderoy and Mr. John McLennon. In his to obtain the icemakers came from Lithgow. application, Mr. Reed of Pulpit Hill, stated he conducted a store in Binning’s house (later the Donnibrook Royal Hotel) opposite George Lee’s Glasgow Arms. Several weeks later Rev. Stewart of ‘The Hermitage’ at Bowenfells, wrote that John McLennon’s was the most central location for a post office. Within days the Post Office authorities received another letter, this from Mr. Robert Rygate J.P., stating that Mr. William Corderoy’s residence was on the same site as the first post office. Finally Mr. William Corderoy was appointed as Bowenfells’ Postmaster on 1st October, 1858, receiving the annual salary of £20. His (Above) A postcard of Main Street in Lithgow sureties were Mr. George showing the three-storey Grand Central Hotel on the Lee and Mr. John Blackman right. Note the gas street light and the red postal letter (left). The New South Wales receiver on its right. (Photo – Lithgow Library) Colonial Government

oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo usually required respectable and well-known individuals BOWENFELLS POST OFFICE to pay the surety, a set

With the discovery of payable gold and an increase in amount of money or to people generally throughout the Lithgow district, a undertake to pay a sum of deputation was sent to the Postmaster-General which money if an individual who resulted in an official sub-post office being opened at was undertaking a Government position, such as a Bowenfells on 1st July, 1852. The premises was at the Postmaster, if that latter person fails to perform their duty as specified. intersection of Lockyer’s Line and Mudgee Road with John McLennon appointed as the first Postmaster. Mail at this time was usually picked up from Within three months the sub-post office was upgraded Parramatta and brought through to Bathurst via a mail to a full Post Office with Mr. McLennon’s pay coach service that had a contract to carry the mails by allowance increased to £10 per annum, quite a meagre the General Post Office. A mail bag would be dropped sum to live on when he was expected to be there to off at Bowenfells on the way through and the mailbag receive and despatch mail every day as well as opening for Sydney collected on the return trip from Bathurst six days a week to the public. Hopefully the person back to Parramatta. The coaches travelled the Hartley- who took the local Postmaster’s position had other Bathurst route, via Rydal, Meadow Flat, Frying Pan family members who could help out as required. (now Yetholme) and on to Kelso. Later after the

On 8th December the following year Mr. McLennon railway reached the Lithgow district mail was resigned due to ill health and the low pay. Mr. Joseph despatched on the train and dropped off at the Bowenfels Railway Station. Cooke then applied for the position on the recommendation of well-known locals Mr. Andrew Mr. William Corderoy proved a popular and reliable Brown and Mr. Thomas Brown. Mr. Cooke’s Postmaster at Bowenfells and in 1867 when he had to appointment was confirmed and he took over the reapply and was successful he had Mr. Mark Hayward, position as Postmaster, however he relocated the Post a tanner, was a new surety. In 1870 William was Office to his own home at Somerset House on 1st employing James O’Brady and Thomas Corderoy as January 1854. Joseph Cooke stayed about four and a his assistants. half years, resigning on 2nd June, 1858, noting in his resignation that he considered the pay to be On 2nd October 1875, the Sydney Morning Herald inadequate, especially for the responsibility. reported that “the Sydney General Post Office has come up with a cheap and rapid means of The loss of the Postmaster meant that mail would not communication known as a ‘postcard”. It went on: - be delivered from other localities by the coach mail “It is a white stout card the size of your hand on which contractors. With letters the only real means of you write an address on one half and your short 12 messages on the other. It was designed and printed by With no one available to take over from Rowe the Messrs. De la Rue and Co, and bears the British coat Postmaster General’s Department decided to finally of arms. At the cost of one penny, the Post Office has close the Bowenfels Post Office so residents had to use confirmed the post cards sold well on the first day of the Lithgow Post Office. issue with 12,000 bought and posted. The first card issued and passed through the post was from Lady Robinson, wife of the NSW Governor, addressed to the Postmaster-General.”

In 1879 the name of Post Office changed from Bowenfells to South Bowenfells, and the Post Office at Bowenfels Railway Station, known as Lithgow, renamed Bowenfells Post Office. William Corderoy resigned as Postmaster, South Bowenfells, and recommended that his son, Mr. Arthur G. Corderoy be appointed in his place, which was approved. After Federation in 1901 all Postmasters were employed by the Commonwealth Government. (Above) the first official Lithgow Post Office single- storey brick building. (Photo courtesy Lithgow Finally in 1910, after numbers of letters and comments Library.) by the Lithgow Mercury the spelling of Bowenfells was changed to Bowenfels, thus bringing it into line In February 1909 the western mail was sent from with Bowenfels Railway Station. In the same year Mr. Penrith via Windsor, Richmond, Mount Victoria, Arthur Corderoy’s salary for the year was £31/10/0 Hartley, Lithgow, Bowenfells, , Rydal, however this was later reduced to £26/10/0 per annum. Sunny Corner, Meadow Flat, Tarana, Oberon, Locksley, Brewongle, O’Connell, Glanmire, Raglan Mr. Arthur Corderoy, now and Kelso and on to Bathurst daily. The train left at working for the Federal 3.20am. Government, would have taken delivery of the first stamps (left) issued by the Federal Post Office in January 1913. The red one penny stamp bears a kangaroo inside a map of Australia. These issues superseded the Colonial stamp issues previously used by the various individual states. Various colours were used for the different denominations, though red was always reserved for the one penny stamp issues. A postcard (above) addressed to a Miss Jones, c/- C. The kangaroo and map design was not very popular as Jones, Pottery Enclosure, Lithgow was posted around all as many Australians were expecting the King’s 1906. The postcard was mailed from Bathurst and image. The ‘map and roo’ stamp design had been the would have travelled to Lithgow on the train, delivered result of a competition conducted by the Postmaster- and sorted to be delivered to the pottery works. General's Department which had initially been oooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo inaugurated in January of 1911. The competition attracted some 1051 designs, with some entrants HISTORY ALL AROUND IN LITHGOW submitting more than one design to be judged. Lithgow boasted hordes of interesting places and sites In 1916 Mr. Arthur Corderoy sent in his resignation as to visit over your stay during the GEMBOREE 2017. Postmaster following which Mr. George Morrow, who Whether you visit for the day or stay for the week was the caretaker of the old South Bowenfels Police there is plenty that you can look at. Lithgow is in the Station, was appointed the new Postmaster and the Central Tablelands of New South Wales and has a Post Office conducted from there. most picturesque environment. Why not extend your stay for a few days and take in the many highlights. In 1922 Mr. W. Dodman was the appointed Postmaster Should you need brochures to various attractions, with the Post Office being relocated to a premises accommodation or other local information you can some 50 yards from the old police station. In 1925 Mr. contact the very well-versed staff at the Lithgow Rowe replaced Mr. Dodman as Postmaster. Mr. Rowe Visitor Information Centre, 1137 Great Western Hwy, remained Postmaster until his resignation in 1940. 13 Lithgow. NSW 2790 or telephone 1300760276 or oxidise fairly quickly giving them sometimes a email [email protected] or greenish to purplish look. Later there is not much www.tourism.lithgow.com colour at all depending on how and with what it is stored. This can form a number of oxides, hydroxides Lake Wallace is a charming lake and is situated as well as sulphates. approximately 10 minutes drive north-west from Lithgow. It is also known as Wallerawang Dam or Lake Wallerawang and is not far off the Great Western Highway at Wallerawang. Fed by the Cox’s River the lake is topped up with water from the Fish River Scheme and Lake Lyell.

Deposits of chalcopyrite are generally very large though they may also be found within veins as it is in Broken Hill. Nice specimens have also been

Whilst power boats are not permitted on the lake you occasionally found by coal miners where specimens can use a kayak, canoe or sailing boat. For the are associated with pyrite nodules. As one of the fisherman the lake presents outstanding trout fishing copper ores its yield is rather low however as it is throughout the year and picnickers use the location usually located commonly in massive quantities it can frequently. The area attracts a number of birds and is a be mined as such. Depending on the price of copper it great place for birdwatching. now is an important source of the world’s copper.

Lake Wallace was constructed on the Cox’s River in Chalcopyrite forms crystals with a tetragonal form. 1978 for the purpose of supplying water for nearby Miners associate chalcopyrite with other minerals such power generation. Trout were present in the lake from as pyrite, calcite, quartz, fluorite etc. where it is found the time of constriction and are regularly restocked. in countries such as Canada, Chile, Mexico, Peru, Fisherman may also encounter bass which can be Australia, South Africa as well as in America. It is caught since the lake was stocked in 1998. also found at Kambalda in Western Australia with nice specimens of chalcopyrite which came from the Poona ooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo Mine (part of the Moonta Mines group) and also often CHALCOPYRITE contains gold. Nice iridescent crystalline specimens

Chalcopyrite is a mineral known as iron copper on dolomite and quartz have been extracted from Tasmania’s Mount Lyell mines near Queenstown. sulphide or copper pyrite and as it turns out extremely common in the crust of our earth. It has many a time This extremely common mineral is quite brittle and mineral specimens are unfortunately known to crumble been confused with gold. It is also known as ‘fool’s and break. gold’ depending on how much colour it is showing. ooooooooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooo Ironically enough it is often associated with gold DID YOU KNOW! deposits. Some even refer to it as ‘yellow pyrite’. Most of us just call it ‘peacock ore’. # that the garnet is the birthstone for January and is

Its name comes from the Greek word “chalkos” for known as the “Gem of Faith”. The garnet supposedly copper and “pyr” or “pyrites” which meant “strike has the power to impart everlasting happiness, well- being and prosperity on whoever owns it. fire”. Early man used this mineral to light their fires in their caves. It was also used in early firearms devices # that in May 1928, a blasting accident occurred at the as part of the firing system. Main Roads Board’s blue metal quarry at Cox’s River,

In the 1700s, I assume due to its high content of copper near Lithgow, when Alexander Knight, a powder as well as its yellowish and sometimes brassy looking monkey, was seriously injured. Knight had placed 12 colour, it was known as “yellow copper”, even more so plugs of gelignite in a hole prior to blasting, when a if it was found near native copper, though this is rarely premature explosion occurred. Knight, who was the case. Unfortunately as we soon find out when we bending over the hole, received the full force of the break up iridescent specimens of chalcopyrite and blast. His injuries consisted of a wound in the left leg, expose them to the air, chalcopyrites will tarnish and in which a large hole had been torn, a compound 14 fracture of the lower portion of the leg, portion of the tribesmen. The natives collected some of the left hand blown away, compound fracture of the left meteorites they found lying on the surface. Finding forearm, burns to the right arm, a wound about two they were very hard they fashioned them into inches long in his face and pieces of gravel embedded arrowheads and elaborate assagai-heads for their light in almost every portion of his body. (We certainly got spears. These latter weapons had very sharp points and all the details in the newspapers in those days.) appendages.

# that in October 1900 various villages, towns and # that Joseph Cook was responsible for the cities around Australia were commemorating British introduction of bicycles to allow postmen to use them victories during the Boer War in South Africa. to deliver the daily mail and telegrams. Lithgow wasn’t going to be left out so a huge flagpole, # that the original discus used by the ancient Greeks in some forty-five feet high including five feet odd in the their early Olympics was actually a fossilised ground, was erected in Lithgow on Tuesday 1st ammonite. October, 1900, in front of Mr. Francis’ hotel as a memento of the British successes in South Africa. # that American natives well before their contact with Most of the leading residents of the town were present the Europeans in the late 15th century were making at its erection, which caused a good deal of interest. metal alloys and creating household items, weapons The Lithgow Postmaster, Mr. Tomkinson, not to be and religious items. Native copper and gold was used behind the times, has also erected a flagstaff some five by the indigenous Americans since ancient times, in or six feet higher than the public one. There are now some cases around 500BC. They would collect the some four flagpoles in town. native metals which were usually lying on top of the ground and would heat it up in a fire before using # that early Byzantine warriors would take several various cold hammering techniques to produce their garnets off to war either wearing them on their uniform artefacts. or carrying them in a pouch as a talisman (good luck charm) against injury or death. They also believed that GEMBOREE 2017 CONTACTS they would bring their troops swift victory or at least bring them back alive. Some ancient medicine men TONY LUCHETTI SHOWGROUND, would bind several garnets inside a bad wound to help LITHGOW N.S.W. stop the bleeding and support its healing. GEMBOREE 2017 Co-Ordinator # in January 1887 it was reported in the Bathurst Free Colin Wright Press newspaper that fish had been caught in Lithgow. 13 Geoffrey Crescent, Loftus N.S.W. 2232 On Thursday afternoon Mr Robert Grant caught a fish Ph 02 95212688 M. 0418286003 weighing about 2lbs (which has been shown to us) in [email protected] Farmer’s Creek, near Mort’s Meat Preserving Works. It proved to be an English trout, and is the first fish Competition Chairmen caught in the creek. Some years ago Mr. Andrew Barbara Try & Anette Clarke Brown, of Bowenfels, deposited some spawn or eggs P.O. Box 60, Ourimbah N.S.W. 2258 of the British trout in a dam adjoining his house and it Ph. 02 43415277 or 02 43936168 & 0417676435 is thought the fish caught by Mr. Grant came from [email protected] or [email protected] there. Dealer Chairman # the ancient Roman world traded sapphires which Marilyn Behrens they would have polished by artisans and made into PO Box 163, Wentworthville NSW 2145 jewellery for both women and men, if they could Ph. 02 9635 8218 afford them. [email protected]

# the first election of aldermen for the newly- Tailgating Chairman, incorporated borough of Lithgow took place on Friday Ernst Holland 9th August, 1889, and the official declaration of the P.O. Box 1351, Bathurst N.S.W. 2795 poll was made in the School of Arts. Little interest was Ph. 02 63373661 M. 0427373661 manifested in the election and only about 130 [email protected] ratepayers used the franchise in the Lithgow Ward, the Publicity Officer & Newsletter Editor largest ward of the borough. The following candidates Alan McRae were returned: - Lithgow Ward: Messrs. George PO Box 151, Bathurst N.S.W. 2795 Donald, Nicholas Sheridan, and David Brown. Clwydd Phone 02 63315404 Ward: Messrs. Joseph C. Hooper, J. M. Hughes, and [email protected] Thomas Bennett.

# in 1836 a shower of meteorites landed in the © Alan McRae, FAIHA, – GEMBOREE 2017 Kalahari Desert much to the amazement of the local Publicity Officer and Newsletter Editor